Theater-curtain.



Patented Apr. 8, 1919-.

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GEORGE w.v CURTISS, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

l THEA'EER-CURTAIN.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. CURTISS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Theater-Curtains; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of referencevr marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to theater curtains andhas for its principal object to fold and unfold parts of a divided curtain evenly and synchronously from a common motor.

In acomplishing this object, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanyingr drawings, wherein:

Figure I is a front elevation of a curtain, equipped with actuating mechanism in accordance with my invention,v a part of a proscenium arch from which the curtain is suspended being broken away to better illustrate the mechanism,

Fig. II is an enlarged elevation of a part of the mechanism, showing the links in contracted relation and particularly illustratingthe hangers and cable.

Fig. III is an enlarged, vertical cross-section of a part of the mechanism, particularly illustrating a hanger and its track, and the mounting of the motor on the track frame.

Fig. IV is an enlarged sectional view, of a pair of hanger rollers and members supported thereby.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a proscenium arch of the type usually found in theaters and from which tapestry curtains are commonly hung. Located in the arch is a track frame 2, compris` ing spaced beams 3, having track rails 4 at the lower portion thereof, spaced to permit hangers to pass therebetween. Supported on l the rails 4 are paired rollers 5, each of which is adapted for travel on one of the track rails and comprising hub openings 6 -through which an axle 7 is projected. Fixed on the axle 7 are cone bearings 8, adapted to bear against anti-friction balls 9 located in races 10, formed on opposite sides of the wheel web 11, the cone bearings being held in proper relation by nuts 12 on the ends of the Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. s, 1919.

AAppmation mea June 1'1, 191s. serieu No. 239,494.

axle. The facing conebearings on opposite rollers are spaced by a sleeve 13, and pivotally mounted on the sleeve are hanger ,arms 14, which are suspended through the space 15 between the track rails and carry hooks 16, whichare connected with the tapestry curtain at spaced intervals throughout the .width of thel curtain and adjacent the up er edge thereof. A

hecurtain members 17-17 are attached at their outer vertical edges to the sides of the arch and are free at their inner edges so that they may meet and overlap when the curtain is closed.

Also pivotally mounted on the axle sleeves 13y are lazy tongs 18-18 the axles 7 serving as pins for the lower ends of the several links of the tongs;` except the lower ends ofV the outer links of said tongs which are pivotally mounted on pins y20 extending between the supporting beams at opposite sides of the arch.

Pivotally mounted on the free end of the upper member of the inner link of each lazy tongs, is a link 21, having opposite ears 22-2 2. Fixed to the `ears of each link are the ends of cables 23-23 which extend over sprocket wheels 24-24 mounted on the frame at opposite sides of the arch and over sprocket wheels 25-25 fixed on shafts 26-26 revolubly supported in bearings 27 formed on a motor supporting platform 28 that is fixed by means of a bracket 29 and bolts 29to the inner frame beam 3 and is located centrally within the' arch.

The shafts 26-26 at their ends opposite those whereon the sprocket wheels are mounted, are provided with gear wheels4 30-30 which travel in mesh so that when `one of the shafts is driven both are actuated synchronously and-in opposite directions.

To actuate the shafts, I provide an electric reversible motor 32 which is mounted on the platform 28 and has a drive shaft 33 provided at its end with a spiral gear wheel 34 adapted to travel in mesh 'with a` similar gear wheel 35 revoluble on the shaft 26.

At one end of the flange 36 adapted to rictionally engage a similar fiange disk 37 that is lixed on the shaft 26, and at its opposite end is engaged by the inner end of a spring 38 coiled about and bears at its outer end against a collar 39.

gear wheel 35 has a cables are operated simultaneously, b ut should an operator neglect to open the circuit through the motor when the links have reached theirexpanded or contracted posi- Ytion,'the friction clutch provided will'permotor in one direction Willextend both lazy' tongs, and operation in'the other direction v will vclose both lazy tongs, to close and open the curtain. i

' escape from the guide rollers.

Assuming that the l'parts ,are constructed and assembled as described and the curtain closed, as shown in Fig. I of the drawings,

' when it is desired to open the curtain the motor is operated in the proper ldirection and moves the lower sections of the cables outWardly. This operation through the links 21 pulls outwardly on the lazy tongs to contract the expanded links thereof, the ends of the cables connected with the ears 22, pulling on the outer links and the ends of the cables connected with the links 22 being drawn by the closing tongs so that there is always a tension on the loose ends of the cables to keep the same taut and avoid their The operation of the` apparatus is such that all of the links of the tongs contract evenly and simultaneously, so that the curtain folds at each hanger position as distinguished from a progressive folding from the free edge toward the side of the arch, thereby materially en-y ing the closing and opening operations. When the curtain is to be closed, the operhancing the appearance of the curtain duration of the motor is reversed to ei'ect a pull on alhe links 22 and toward the center of the arc It is apparent that as the separate lazy tongs are connected in like manner on the motor, the movement is synchronous, both in opening and closing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In combination with separate curtain members, a hanger for each curtain member, and ycommon means Jfor extending and returning said hangers to effect synchronous movement of the curtain members.

2. In combination with a'iiexible curtain,

a lazy tongs movable along the curtain position, hangers on the lazy tongs for suspending the curtain and means for extending and contracting the lazy tongs.

3. In combination with a flexible curtain, lazy tongs, hangers on the lazy tongs for suspending the curtain, a motor, a cable operhaving roller bearing thereon, hangers suspended from the lazy tongs for carrying a curtain, guide rollers lat opposite ends of the 'path of travel .of said tongs, a cable run over said rollers and connectedwith the free ends of the lazy tongs and means for operating said cable. f

5. In combination with a track-way, a lazy tongs having a fixed link, rollers on the lazy tongs. movable on the track-way, hangers suspended from saidy rollers and means for extending and contracting the lazy tongs.

6. In a theater curtam, a track-Way comprising spaced rails, rollers movable on' said rails arranged in pairs and havingaxle connection, hangers suspended from said axles, a curtain suspended from said hangers, a lazy tongs connected with said axles, the said lazy tongs being anchored at one end and free at the` op osite end, and means connected with the fliee end of the lazy tongs for extending and contracting said tongs.

7. In combination with a track-way, rollers on said track-way arranged in sets, a lazy tongs mounted on each separate set of rol ers, hangers suspended from said rollers, separate curtains suspended from relative sets of hangers, individual cables connected with the outer end of each lazy tongs, a driving member for both cables and means for operating said driving members.

8. In combination with a proscenium arch having a track-Way extendlng thereacross, separate lazy tongs having outer ends anchored at opposite ends of the arch and hav- 4ing free ends adapted for meeting at the int of the tongs and over a guide wheel at the end of the arch, both cables being connected with the upper inner member of its lazy tongs and a driving member operatively connected with both of the said drive wheels.

9. In combination with a movable curtain support, a driving member, a 'connecting member operate-d by the driving member to move said support and a friction connection in the driving member, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

GEORGE W. CURTISS. 

